Review of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) by Ryan M — 05 Nov 2015

Although an otherwise typical teenage angst story on the surface, Rejon transcends the normal with the reality of death while still maintaining sensitivity. There is no overwhelming pressure of a love story or some revelation of identity often discovered in our years of adolescence.

It captures a brief time frame of a few friends who are struggling with the weight of death, trying everything to revive the small bit of joy that might reside. With a few long, unedited shots of raw emotion and scenes of best friends fighting, we play the third person in the room bearing the awkwardness of a premature threat to life.

But the drama and emotion is not without humor. The characters are funny - naturally funny. The poorly executed puns and sometimes almost offensive (to the easily offended) jokes are a great coping mechanism for both the actor and the observer that are nothing short of natural.

A great story of laughter, tears, and justified anger, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl goes beyond the usual teenage story and brings us a new, emotionally provocative perspective.